Country | Ireland |
---|---|
Region | Munster [1] |
Divisions | Senior Premier Division Senior 1st Division Senior 2nd Division Junior Premier Division Junior 1st Division Junior 2nd Division Floodlit Over 35 |
Number of clubs | 62 (2015–16) [2] |
Domestic cup(s) | Munster Senior Cup FAI Cup FAI Intermediate Cup FAI Junior Cup |
League cup(s) | Keane Cup Donie Forde Cup Beamish Cup |
Current champions | Midleton F.C. |
Most championships | Cobh Ramblers (15 titles) |
Website | Munster Senior League |
Current: 2024 Munster Senior League |
The Munster Senior League is an association football league organised by the Munster Football Association. It organises seven divisions as well as various cup competitions. Its Senior Division is a third level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. Munster Senior League teams also compete in the Munster Senior Cup, the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the FAI Junior Cup. In recent seasons the winners of the Senior Division have qualified to play in the League of Ireland Cup. Despite using the Munster name in its title, the vast majority of its member clubs are based in County Cork. However, in the past it has included clubs from County Limerick, County Waterford, County Kerry and County Tipperary. [3]
The original Munster Football Association was founded in 1901 and it is believed that a Munster League was founded within a few years. The 1909–10 season saw six teams representing the Highland Light Infantry, the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the Durham Light Infantry, the Sherwood Foresters, the King's Regiment and Haulbowline all played in the Munster League First Division. A Munster Intermediate League featured the reserve teams of all these British Army regiments plus teams representing the Royal Engineers, the Royal Field Artillery and the Royal Army Service Corps. In the Munster Cup the Highland Light Infantry lost 1–0 to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the final played at Turner's Cross. [4] Cahir Park F.C. was founded in 1910 and by 1912–13 they were the Munster Senior League second division champions. [5] However these leagues were effectively disbanded during the First World War and Irish War of Independence era.
In 1921 Harry Buckle, a former Ireland international, settled in Cork and began working for the Ford Motor Company. Finding little or no association football activity in the city, Buckle initially founded Fordsons F.C. and then helped found the County Cork–based South Munster League for the team to play in. In addition to playing and coaching with the new club, Buckle also served as president of the Tipperary/Limerick based – North Munster League and helped reform the Munster Football Association. By 1922–23 the South Munster League and North Munster Leagues had effectively merged to become the Munster Senior League. [6] Barrackton United of the South Munster League became the first post–First World War Munster Senior League champions after defeating Cahir Park F.C. of the North Munster League in a play-off.
Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
---|---|---|
Avondale United | Carrigaline/Ballintemple | Avondale Park |
Cobh Wanderers | Cobh | Oldchurch Park |
College Corinthians | Douglas | Corinthians Park |
Douglas Hall | Douglas | Moneygourney |
Leeds AFC | Ballyvolane | Leeds Park |
Midleton | Midleton | Knockgriffin Park |
Ringmahon Rangers | Blackrock, Cork | Ringmahon Park |
Rockmount | Whitechurch | Rockmount Park |
St. Mary's AFC | Whites Cross | St. Mary's Park |
UCC | University College Cork | The Mardyke/The Farm |
Source: [7]
2024-25 Senior First Division Clubs
Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
---|---|---|
Bandon AFC | Bandon, County Cork | Town Park |
Blarney United | Blarney | O'Shea Park |
Carrigaline United | Carrigaline | Ballea Park |
Castleview AFC | Cork | O'Sullivan Park |
Everton AFC | Togher, Cork City | Everton Park |
Lakewood Athletic | Ballincollig | Lakewood Sports and Social Club |
Leeside United | Little Island, Cork | Little Island Sports Complex |
Mayfield United | Mayfield | Lotamore Grounds |
Riverstown | Glanmire | The Cliff |
Wilton United | Wilton, Cork | Pat Bowdren Park |
Source: [8]
2024-25 Senior Second Division Clubs
Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
---|---|---|
Ballinhassig | Ballinhassig | Gortnaglough |
Buttevant | Buttevant | Abbeyview |
Carrigtwohill United | Carrigtwohill | Ballyadam |
Fermoy FC | Fermoy | Carrig Park |
Kanturk AFC | Kanturk | Gurteenard |
Kinsale AFC | Kinsale | Madden Park |
Macroom FC | Macroom | Murrayfield |
Mallow United AFC | Mallow | Town Park |
Park United | Mitchelstown | Brigown Park |
Passage AFC | Passage West | Rockenham |
Temple United | Cork | Temple Park |
Youghal United | Youghal | Ardrath Park |
Source: [9]
A Munster Senior League representative team competes in the FAI Intermediate Interprovincial Tournament against teams representing the Ulster Senior League, the Leinster Senior League and Connacht. [10]
Table at Christmas
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Qualification or Relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Midleton | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 22 | Champions |
2 | Avondale United | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 19 | |
3 | Ringmahon Rangers | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 19 | |
4 | Rockmount AFC | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | |
5 | College Corinthians | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | |
6 | Douglas Hall | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 9 | |
7 | UCC | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | |
8 | Leeds AFC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 7 | |
9 | St. Mary's FC | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | Relegation to First Division |
10 | Cobh Wanderers | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 |
Senior First Division
Table at Christmas
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Qualification or Relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mayfield United | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 20 | Champions/Promotion to Premier Division |
2 | Carrigaline United | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 19 | Promotion to Premier Division |
3 | Bandon AFC | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 18 | |
4 | Riverstown | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 16 | |
5 | Blarney United | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 15 | |
6 | Castleview | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | |
7 | Wilton United | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11 | |
8 | Leeside United | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | |
9 | Everton AFC | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | Relegation to Second Division |
10 | Lakewood Athletic | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
Senior Second Division
Table at Christmas
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Qualification or Relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Passage AFC | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 25 | Champions/Promotion to First Division |
2 | Mallow United | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 22 | Promotion to First Division |
3 | Fermoy FC | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 19 | |
4 | Youghal United | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19 | |
5 | Ballinhassig | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 17 | |
6 | Kanturk AFC | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 13 | |
7 | Park United | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 13 | |
8 | Temple United | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | |
9 | Kinsale AFC | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | |
10 | Carrigtwohill United | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | |
11 | Buttevant | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | |
12 | Macroom FC | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
Cobh Ramblers Football Club is an Irish football club. The club, founded in 1922 and elected to the League of Ireland in 1985, hails from Cobh, County Cork and play their home matches at St. Colman's Park. The club's colours are claret and blue. The club was a founding member of the Cork Athletic Union League in 1947 and is the only one of the 14 founding clubs still in existence today.
Cork Bohemians F.C. was an Irish association football club based in Cork. The club played in the League of Ireland for two seasons in 1932–33 and 1933–34. After Fordsons/Cork F.C., they became the second club from Cork city to join the league. Of the eight Cork city clubs to play in the league, Bohemians had the shortest stay. The club was successful at intermediate level both before and after its short spell in the League of Ireland, winning the Munster Senior League, the Munster Senior Cup and the FAI Intermediate Cup.
Albert Rovers F.C. were an Irish association football club based in Cork. Between 1976–77 and 1981–82 the club played in the League of Ireland. During this time the club also played under the names Cork Albert, Cork Alberts and Cork United. The club has also fielded teams in the Munster Senior League and the Cork Athletic Union League. Throughout their history, the club colours were red and black and occasionally white. They were used in various combinations, including stripes and hoops.
Cork Football Club was an Irish association football club based in Cork. They were founded as Fords F.C. and later became known as Fordsons F.C.. They played in the League of Ireland between 1924–25 and 1937–38. Like several fellow early League of Ireland clubs, such as St James's Gate, Jacobs, Midland Athletic and Dundalk, the club had their origins as a factory or works team. They were initially the football team of the Ford Motor Company, a major employer in the city at the time. In 1930, however, Ford ended its association with the club and they were renamed Cork. The club folded in 1938 and were replaced in the League of Ireland by a new club, Cork City.
The League of Ireland is a league of professional football clubs from the Republic of Ireland plus Derry City from Northern Ireland. It is one of the two main governing bodies responsible for organising association football in the Republic of Ireland, along with the Football Association of Ireland. It is also the top-level football league in the Republic of Ireland since its foundation in 1921, but the term was used to refer to a single division league before the introduction of a second division in 1985.
The Leinster Senior League is an association football league organised by the Leinster Football Association. The Leinster Senior League operates twenty three divisions. It also organises various cup competitions. Its Senior Division is a third level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. Leinster Senior League teams also compete in the Leinster Senior Cup, the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the FAI Junior Cup. In recent seasons the winners of the Senior Division have also qualified to play in the League of Ireland Cup. The vast majority of its member clubs are based in the Greater Dublin Area.
The Ulster Senior League was an association football league featuring amateur, intermediate, and League of Ireland reserve teams. Together with the Leinster Senior League Senior Division and the Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division, it formed the third level of the Republic of Ireland football league system. Ulster Senior League teams also competed in the FAI Cup and the FAI Intermediate Cup. The winners of the Ulster Senior League were also invited to play in the now defunct League of Ireland Cup. Despite using the Ulster name in its title, almost all of its clubs were based in County Donegal and the City of Derry. The most successful club in the league was Fanad United who won fourteen league titles and ten league cups. Since 2006 the USL had operated as a summer league with the season typically operating from April to October. In 2023, there were five teams competing in the league.
The Connacht Senior League was an association football league featuring amateur, intermediate, and League of Ireland reserve teams affiliated to the Connacht Football Association. It was a third level league in the Republic of Ireland football league system. An earlier provincial league, the Western League, had been active, on and off, since the 1930s before the Connacht Football Association decided to establish a more permanent league. The CSL was active between 1981 and 2000. In 2013 discussions were held about relaunching the league.
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The Republic of Ireland football league system currently consists of 12 levels. Traditionally association football leagues in the Republic of Ireland have been classified as either senior, intermediate or junior. These leagues are effectively national, provincial and district leagues respectively. The two highest level leagues/divisions, the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland First Division are both national leagues. Together they make up the League of Ireland. The third level currently consists of two provincial leagues – the Leinster Senior League Senior Division and the Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division.
Tramore Athletic F.C. is an Irish association football club based in Douglas, County Cork. Their senior men's team currently plays in the Munster Senior League. The club has previously played in the Cork Athletic Union League. They have also entered teams in the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup, the FAI Youth Cup and the Munster Senior Cup
Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Northside, Dublin. It is the women's section of the League of Ireland club Shelbourne FC. The senior women's team currently plays in the League of Ireland Women's Premier Division. They have also fielded teams in the Dublin Women's Soccer League, the Metropolitan Girls League and the North Dublin Schoolboys/Girls League. They are the current FAI Women's Cup holders after defeating Athlone Town 6:1 at Tallaght Stadium in the 2024 final.
The Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division is the top division of the Munster Senior League. It is organized by the Munster Football Association. Together with the Leinster Senior League Senior Division, it forms the third level of the Republic of Ireland football league system. Clubs from this division play in the Munster Senior Cup, the FAI Cup, and the FAI Intermediate Cup. In the past, the winners of the Senior Division were also invited to play in the League of Ireland Cup until the competition's demise. Midleton F.C. were the league's final representative in 2019.
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College Corinthians A.F.C. is an Irish association football club based in Douglas, County Cork. Their senior men's team play in the Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division. They also regularly compete in the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the Munster Senior Cup. Corinthians also fields a reserve team and an over 35 team in the lower divisions of the Munster Senior League. In addition the club operates a large youth and schoolboy section and enters teams in the Cork Schoolboys League and schoolgirl teams in the Cork Women's and Schoolgirls Soccer League.
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Mark O'Sullivan is an association footballer who played for League of Ireland Premier Division club Cork City as a striker for several years. O'Sullivan spent four years with Munster Senior League side Avondale United before signing for Cork City Foras in 2010. He later returned to Avondale United, before returning to Cork City in 2014. He signed for Waterford in 2017. He then joined Limerick in 2018, before returning to Avondale United in the summer of 2018, and rejoined Cork City in 2019.